Leading CAD applications join Inventor and Maya as fully certified to run on Amazon AWS G4ad cloud workstations
Cloud workstations have never been more relevant to the product development, manufacturing and Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sectors.
In this age of flexible working, they provide a solid foundation to enable designers, engineers, and architects to work from virtually anywhere, on any device.
As all data stored in the cloud, cloud workstations can seamlessly connect global teams, streamline the management of large Computer Aided Design (CAD) datasets, and keep Intellectual Property (IP) secure.
They also give firms the power to scale resources up and down, to roll out new virtual machines to extended teams anywhere in the world, as and when projects demand.
Furthermore, with a per hour, pay-as-you go model, firms only pay for the resources they use, for the time that they use them.
Running powerful CAD software in the cloud does not come without challenges.
Cloud workstations need to have an optimised software stack, be GPU accelerated, and deliver very high levels of performance. Most importantly, they need to provide the designer, architect, or engineer with an excellent user experience.
Amazon AWS G4ad cloud workstations are highly optimised for CAD workflows. 2nd Gen AMD EPYC™ CPUs deliver fast single threaded and highly scalable multithreaded performance, while AMD Radeon PRO V520 GPUs accelerate huge 3D models that remain responsive to mouse movements, allowing users to position them quickly and accurately.
But for some AEC and manufacturing firms, the promise of good performance is not enough. They want assurances that their specific CAD software applications will run fast and stable on their workstation platform of choice.
This stamp of approval is achieved through extensive testing and validation via Independent Software Vendor (ISV) certification. ISV certification means a firm’s chosen software has been independently tested and validated on a specific workstation platform and the software developer has confirmed that it runs smoothly and reliably. Importantly, it also means users within an organisation will be fully supported when using the software.
To give design, engineering and manufacturing firms peace of mind, Amazon AWS G4ad cloud workstations go through the same stringent certification process as traditional desktop and mobile workstations with professional GPUs.
The list of certified applications continues to grow. This month PTC Creo and Autodesk AutoCAD joined Autodesk Inventor and Autodesk Maya as certified for use on Amazon AWS G4ad cloud workstations.
The way in which professional 3D applications are used varies considerably between firms and teams, so the workstation requirements of users can be incredibly diverse. Autodesk AutoCAD, for example, is deployed on range of projects from the design of small mechanical parts to expansive infrastructure developments, in 2D or 3D.
Meanwhile, PTC Creo is used from the early phases of product design into manufacturing, taking in simple part and assembly modelling or expanding into computationally intensive workflows such as generative design and simulation.
AWS G4ad cloud workstations are available in a wide range of ‘instance sizes’ to match different workflows precisely, each offering varying levels of GPU, vCPU and memory resources.
The G4ad.xlarge instance, for example, with 1 GPU, 4 vCPUs and 16 GB of memory, is a good fit for some entry-level CAD workflows, while the G4ad.2xlarge instance doubles vCPU and memory resources to support those working with larger datasets. For the most demanding users, those pushing the boundaries of simulation or visualisation, the G4ad.16xlarge instance features 4 GPUs, 64 vCPUs and 256 GB memory.
For more information about Autodesk AutoCAD certification on Amazon AWS G4ad cloud workstations click here.
For more information about PTC Creo certification on Amazon AWS G4ad cloud workstations click here.
For more information about Autodesk Inventor certification on Amazon AWS G4ad cloud workstations click here.
